A Clockwork's Heartbeat
by RememberTheDays
Summary: When Charlotte is replaced by Benedict, Tessa is thrown out of the institute. But now she i more vulnerable than ever, with no protection, and this time it's not only The Magister, who is after her.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first "infernal devices" story, and I know Clockwork Prince is coming soon, but this was just an idea I had :) Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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><p>Tessa hadn't seen Charlotte or Henry the last four days. They, and the rest of the enclave, had been discussing whether or not Charlotte was the best choice of the leader for the institute. Tessa had been trying to shut all their voices out, but somehow Benedict Lightwood's shouts kept creeping into her mind. His reasons for Charlotte's removal all came down to the same fact; that if she hadn't sent the whole enclave against de Quincey, Thomas and Agatha wouldn't be dead, they hadn't been <em>Nephilim<em>, but they had still served the shadowhunters, and the fact, that there had been no one to protect the institute. And, he said, that Will and Jem hadn't received the proper training, if they had been naïve enough to fell for the magister and Nathaniel's trick. "After all he was just a mundane," he had said.

Even though Tessa didn't want to let the words in, she knew that many of the members of the enclave shared the same opinion as Benedict; Charlotte was to "immature" to lead. And somewhere behind those words, they were all agreeing that Mr. Lightwood should be the master of the institute.

The meeting was in the library, the same place where Tessa had met the enclave the first time. She knew that Will and Jem had been watching all the time from above at the storeroom, where the three of them had been sitting, watching and listening to the enclave's meeting; Jem had asked her several times if she wanted to come with him. Every single time she had declined, knowing that Will also would be there. She wasn't ready to face him. Not after what he said on the attic. She hadn't been ready to face him in nearly two weeks.

Jem, feeling her uneasiness, had eventually stopped asking.

Now, Tessa was laying on the bed, reading 'Tale of two cities', trying to let the words suck her in to their own world. It didn't work. After a couple of moments she gave up, closing the book.

A yell from the library made her wince: "She doesn't belong at the institute! She's more demon, than downworlder, with the abilities of hers!"

Tessa recognized the voice of Benedict Lightwood, and felt herself crumple from the inside, as tears started to form in her eyes. First, the conversation with Will, probably making him hate her, next, knowing that Charlotte would, no matter how hard Tessa tried not to think that way, be removed, and now, Tessa knew, that she would be thrown out, the instant Mr. Lightwood became the head of the institute.

She sat up on the bed, staring at nothing, when the door was pulled, by an outraged Benedict. He didn't seem to notice her teary eyes, but grabbed her wrist instead, forcing her out the door and down the corridor.

Letting go of her, he shoved her into the library, smashing the door closed behind the two of them. In the room, the shadowhunters of the enclave was placed around the long table in the middle of the room. Tessa raised her head, and let her gaze move over the shadowhunters, determined to show, that she wasn't afraid of either of them.

Charlotte's eyes widen slightly, but enough to show her astonishment. She rose fast, making the chair create a squeaking sound as it scratched over the floor.

"Benedict, I believe there is absolutely no reason to include Tessa in our conversation," she said.

"There is _every_ reason to include Ms. Gray in our conversation," he hissed back. "After all, she is one of the main causes of this". Benedict grabbed Tessa's hand again, turning it, so the palm was turning upwards. His eyes scanned over the surface of her skin of her arm, before he shook her head, and did the same thing with the other arm.

He looked up, meeting the confused eyes of the other Nephilim's.

"I see no mark," he stated. "And I don't assume you, Ms. Gray, have found any mark on your body?" Tessa shook her head, knowing that even if she lied, he would just ask to _see_ the mark. Benedict nodded slightly to himself, a smile playing upon his lips.

"As you see, and now heard, she has now mark alias she isn't a warlock, which means she can't be any form for downworlder and there for, she isn't under the protection of the law," Benedict met all the gazes of his fellows, challenging them all to talk against him. The most of them nodded at his words.

"So," he continued. "Either she is some sort of weak mutant or simply a sort of… _demon_". He spoke the last word with disgust. Tessa's head jerked as Benedict spoke, and Charlotte had gone a sort of gray color, all the while Henry was white as a sheet. Tessa clenched her hands into fists.

How dared he speak of her like that?

"But we could, of course, let her change and study her abilities, only to make sure their safe, and can do no harm", The Lightwood reassured the others. "We don't know much about this form for skin-changing".

He took a step towards the girl, but she stepped back, the fear now clear in her eyes. They were going to use her. Study her. Make _experiments_ with her, just like the Dark Sisters had.

She backed away, towards the doors but Benedict grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her forward again.

"You didn't know about your brothers plan now did you, Ms. Gray?" Benedict asked trying to sound like he actually could be a _good _person. Tessa didn't believe he could ever be that.

She shook her head in response to his question.

"If so, you wouldn't mind to let us watch you Change and find out what you're really capable of, right?" he asked and gave her the ring on his finger. "Change right now then". The Nephilim held his ring out to her in his palm. Tessa looked from the metal to the eyes of Benedict.

"I won't do it," she said in a small voice. Benedict narrowed his brows.

"What?" he said, even though it was obvious he'd heard her.

"I won't change-"

"Why not?" Tessa crumpled under his threatening voice.

"Because I-" she started in a whisper, but was cut off by the Lightwood's yell.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to be your personal experiment," she shouted back her eyes filled with tears. _How could they ask her to do that?_ She lowered her voice. "I don't want to be used like that again". Benedict looked taken aback by her outburst, but recovered fast, his eyes starting to shine with rage as she disobeyed him.

He slapped her across the face, making her stumble backwards. "You're just like your brother; a coward, incompetent and a betrayer to the Nephilims," he hissed.

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><p>Will had been watching from the storeroom since the meeting began. Jem had brought him supplies now and then, but Will didn't eat much. The conversation between the older shadowhunters had been far too alarming. If Charlotte was replaced by Benedict Lightwood, Will would have to get used to the fact that Gabriel was going to live them, in this very house. But the thing that disturbed him the most was the conversation about Tessa being sent away from the institute, out on the street. Right into Mortmain's arms.<p>

Will knew that Jem, who had leaved two hours ago, had asked Tessa if she wanted to come up to him and Will and join them. Will also knew why she'd declined every time. After the episode on the attic they hadn't spoken to each other, and he was glad at that. It meant he didn't need to look her in her eyes.

He was shaken out of his thoughts when Benedict went out and slammed the library door shut. What had he missed? Had Benedict been declined in his attempts to be the head of the institute? Will hadn't believed that Charlotte would win this word-fight, but maybe he should have a bit more confidence in the short woman, who had cared for him since he was twelve. His hopes were short-lived when Benedict re-interred with Tessa in front of him. Her dress was plain white, her hair slightly messy, but still. She was beautiful. And even though Will tried not to, he had to admit it was good to see her again.

He listened to the conversation beneath him, watching as Tessa's eyes got huge, filled with the fear they had contained the first time, she had been asked by the enclave to show her abilities. Benedict's words seeped into his head and he understood the terms behind them. _Will, _a voice said in his head. It sounded a bit like his mother's had. Sweet but firm. _They're want to use her, to make her Change until she dies of exhaustion._ Will felt his eyes broaden. The enclave would do that? No, he told himself. The enclave wouldn't. Benedict would. He might even kill her in the night.

He started to scramble to his feet, he had to try to convince the enclave to stop this madness, Benedict was creating. He stopped abruptly, when he heard Tessa's loud voice: "-don't want to be your personal experiment!" Will could see she was about to cry. "I don't want to be used like that again".Will could only imaging which pictures and memories were behind her foggy eyes, as she spoke. It was hard to look at her, when she looked so sad, knowing that also he had caused her pain.

It all stopped, mind, heart, breath, when Benedict slapped her. She stumbled back, but kept herself standing. Will could see the Lightwood's mouth form words, but he didn't hear them. His mind was clouded with one thought; _I am__ going to kill that bastard!_

When Will could focus again, Tessa had gone over to Benedict, poking him hard in the chest with her index finger.

"You can call me a mutant, or a demon, or whatever you want," she hissed. "But don't _ever_ compare me to Nathaniel. I am nothing like him". She stumped out the door shutting it behind her. The last thing Will heard before he ran out the storeroom's door behind him, was Charlotte's voice as she yelled at Benedict for what he'd just did, but Will was out the door before Charlotte finished. He had to find Tessa, had to talk to her. Because what she just did, nearly threatening Benedict Lightwood, was only going to make her chance of staying even smaller. What she just did, was the worst thing she could've done.

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><p><strong>So, what do you think? :)<strong>

**Should I continue or just trash? If you don't like it, I'm probably just gonna dump it, so please review and tell me what you think. :)** **~RememberTheDays**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for all the reviews! I actually didn't thought I would get more than one or maybe two, so thanks a lot :) So, I was asked to get a bit Chenry in, and I'll try my best to do that, though there won't be any in this chapter ;) But I hope you'll enjoy the next chapter, and keep review please. **

**Updated: 11-27-11**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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><p>Will found Tessa in her bedroom, or rather heard her. He could hear the muffled sounds of a conversation; husky voices, which rose before they went back down again, depending on which mode the person, who talked, were in. The tone that were used now, sounded slightly tensed, but either way it was...calm. Not what he had expected.<p>

He heard Tessa's voice through the unsound proof door, but he couldn't identify the other one, even though it sounded very annoying to Will's ears. He shook the feeling of him, and was about to grab the doorknob, when the door was opened from the inside, and Gabriel Lightwood stepped out. When he saw Will he stopped.

"William," he said, his voice cold of disdain for the other Nephilim.

"Gabriel," Will returned, though he added some more bittersweet sarcasm. Gabriel gave him a glare before he sidestepped and went down the same way, Will had just come from. Will looked after him with a death glare until he couldn't see Gabriel's brown hair, when he rounded a corner.

Will pushed the door open, to find Tessa in a way he hadn't expected. He thought it would be likely she was sitting on her bed, thinking about how to say goodbye to them all, as she also had to know, that Benedict wanted her out. Instead she was pacing over the floor, her head in her hands, mumbling to herself under her breath. When Will closed the door behind him, she looked up, her gray eyes immediately scanning the room to see whoever had entered. She relaxed when she recognized Will, before she tensed again. He couldn't really blame her; she probably thought he was going to make a snide comment.

"Oh, Will, I didn't-" she cut off when Will waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Why did you talk with Gabriel?" he asked instead.

"He came to tell me, that he was sorry for what his father had said and done," as she talked, Will looked at her face. There was a faint red mark from where Benedict had hit her. He shook her head, when she was done talking.

"Pff," Will breathed. "If you think he meant that, you really need to learn how to read people better. He probably came in to see what you were doing, before he reported back to his father". Tessa took a step backward, away from Will and frowned at him.

"Some people can actually be gentlemen and Gabriel is one of though people in comparison to you, Mr. Herondale!" she said, her voice firm and sharp. Will was a bit surprised she had used his last name, which meant she really was a kind of mad, but, of course, he didn't show it.

"Are you saying that, _Gabriel _is more gentlemen like than _me_?" he asked melodramatically, holding his hand to his chest in a way to make it look like he was in shock. Tessa kept frowning at him.

"Doesn't take much to do so".

"I only came in here to give you some advices about Benedict, and then you start insulting me?" he said, his voice a bit louder this time.

"You haven't really giving me any advice yet!" Tessa returned just as loud as Will.

"You didn't give me a chance to do it!" Will's voice rose a bit more, but it wasn't quite a yell. He took a step forward, getting closer to her. Tessa broke the not-yelling-pattern.

"Then tell me what to do!" she yelled, and raised her hands over her head in exasperation. Will grabbed both her wrists and backed her up against the wall. She was caught between it and Will, her whole body pressed against the wall.

"What's happening Tessa? What's wrong?" he asked, starring into Tessa's eyes to make her understand, that he meant it.

"Will, let go-" she tried to wrest her hands out of his grip, wanting to push him away. Will tightened his hold of her wrists.

"What is _wrong_?" he asked again. Tessa tried to get away again, but gave up a moment later. She slumped in Will's grip, but he kept holding on, having the feeling, that if he let go, she would fall to the floor.

"I'm scared," she whispered, making it hard for him to hear her. Will knew that Tessa normally wouldn't say it, show that sort of feelings so easily; she was tough. The fact that she did say it, made him realize just how vulnerable she was. How easy it was to make her afraid, or sad in his case.

"Why?" he asked her in a quiet voice.

"Because of Mortmain. He's going to find me; he's going to _use _me".

"Tessa, he can't get in here-" Will started, but was cut off by Tessa.

"Benedict is going to toss me out, Will. You know it," she looked down. "And now, he must be a lot angrier with me, because of what I said to him".

Will let go her wrists, certain that she could stand on her own by now; she could. He stepped away from her, away from her intoxicating scent. Her hands fell down her sides, and her gaze came up to Will's face.

"Stay low, and he won't throw you out," Will said. He could see in Tessa's eyes that she doubted it.

"Will, I don't think-"

"Stay low, and he won't throw you out," Will repeated. "He can't".

Tessa frowned; "I don't understand how he can't if he wants to".

"Some members of the enclave, doesn't want you to leave the institute, and therefore he can't force you to leave; he has to respect the other members too. If you leave, it will have to be by your own choice" Will explained, not only making Tessa relax a bit, but also himself; Benedict couldn't touch her without betraying the other Nephilims meaning. Tessa exhaled, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. They both fell silent, none of them looking at each other.

At last Tessa broke the silence; "Are you angry with me?" she asked, looking at him. Will looked at her, confused.

"Why would I be that?"

"It's just after what happened on the… attic two weeks ago, I just… well, I thought you might be mad at me, since we hadn't talked…" Tessa trailed off. Will couldn't keep himself from starring at her. She was apologizing for something, he'd done? Then he thought about it; Tessa was like that, always thinking she was the one who'd done the wrong thing. When he kept silent, Tessa seemed to get nervous.

"I'm sorry. If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay," she said, looking down again.

"No, it's okay," Will said. "I shouldn't have said what I said. I'm sorry". He stood still for a moment. Well that was a new one. Normally he would just blame the world for his mistakes, but this was his fault, he had to admit to himself. It didn't felt as good, as many people said; "It feels god to do a good thing for others".

"Um, thank you," Tessa said; obviously she hadn't expected him to apologizes either. She caught his eyes and smiled; a little one, but it was there. She took a step towards him; held her arms in a way, that made it look like she was going to hug him. He froze before she touched him, and she stopped.

"I'm gonna go to bed, it's late," Will said, backing away from the girl in front of him. "See you in the morning".

He turned towards the door, and had just opened it, when he heard Tessa's voice.

"You're sure that Benedict can't send me away from here," she asked, and when he looked over his shoulder he could see that her eyes no longer contained fear, just nervousness.

"I'm sure of it," Will answered her. "He's not going to toss you out". He went out the door and closed it behind him. A last thought went through his head before he walked to his room; _I won't let him._

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><p>The same night, Tessa was awakened by a knock on her door. She staggered to the door, rubbing her eyes to make them see in the dark. She opened the door ajar. The person in front of her was a blur; she wasn't fully awakened yet.<p>

"What time is it?" Tessa asked, and could her how tired her voice sounded.

"Three in the morning". Tessa froze when she recognized the voice of Benedict Lightwood.

"What are you doing here?" her voice was steady, no longer the faintest hint of weariness. "You can't force me to leave". She sounded desperate to her own ears, but she stood her ground. Benedict shook his head, a smile playing over his face.

"I am not intending to make you leave," he said in a reassuring tone. "But I would lie if I said; I didn't think it would be a good idea, if you left the institute". Tessa attempted to close the door, but the Lightwood put his food in the crack, before she was able to do so.

"I told you, I won't leave," she said to him, trying not to make her voice hard and cold.

"_Stay low," _Will's voice sounded in her head.

"And I said I wasn't trying to force you," Benedict said looking into her eyes. "I just want to make sure you understand what risk you put us all in by staying here". Tessa opened the door a bit more.

"I'm listening".

"It isn't a long time since, Thomas and Agatha died, when Mortmain came," Benedict said. It surprised Tessa that he remembered the two deceased humans, but, of course, ha had to seem like he cared, she thought. "And we both know, why he came".

Tessa opened her mouth; "Because-"

"-you were here," Benedict ended the sentence. Tessa fell silent.

"And the next time he comes, he'll be even stronger, and even though we're all here, we might won't be able to stop him. From getting _you_". The three last words were a direct hid on Tessa.

_Mortmain's going to kill them all, because of me. He's going to kill them. All of them. _Her thoughts were interrupted by Benedict.

"I think you get to the same conclusion, when I say; that Axel Mortmain won't spare a single life, but yours. He's going to kill Charlotte, Henry, Jessamine, James…..and William," the thought of them all dead made Tessa dizzy. She used her free hand to support herself by the wall. "But if you won't leave, I guess that's how it's going to end". The shadowhunter removed his foot, turned and started walking away. Tessa stared after him desperately.

"Wait," she said, her voice incredible high in the quiet institute. She winced and hoped nobody had heard her. Benedict turned to look at her, a silent question on his face.

_Don't, _a voice said inside her head. It sounded a lot like Will's. _He's trying to trick you. Don't listen to him. _Tessa ignored it.

"I'll leave," she said, and saw a victory smile on Benedict's face.

"Pack your things," he said. "Meanwhile I'll find someone who can take you downtown". He walked down the corridor, leaving Tessa alone with her thoughts. Voices in her head were having a war about if she should leave or not, but in the end she choose the one who told her to leave. She went into her room and packed.

It didn't take her long before she was in front of the gate to the institute with Benedict. Tessa stood in front of the carriage's door, when Benedict made her turn around. He held a leather sachet in his palm.

"Money, so you can stay on a hotel. Try to find the cheapest one downtown, I don't know which, I don't like living in those buildings," he said. Tessa just nodded and took the money. She got inside the carriage and felt the normal bumping when it rolled over the road. She couldn't stop thinking about Will's words, as she moved further and further away from the place she'd felt was her home.

_He's not going to toss you out._

But he'd been wrong; Benedict had thrown her out, by hitting on her weakest place. Because somewhere between his attempts to make her leave, he'd told her the truth: _Mortmain is after you, and if he has to, he'll kill all of us. Also Will..._

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><p><strong>That's it, what did you think? :D<strong>

**I hope that Will wasn't to muck OOC, but it can be kind of hard to get into his head, when he is so mysterious, if you know what I mean o.O**

**If you have any ideas I'll be happy to hear them, and please keep on reviewing! ~RememberTheDays **

**P.S. I updated very fast this time, but I also have school so it won't be as fast next time, but I'll do my best! :) :s  
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	3. AN

**Um, so the first thing I'm going to say is; sorry for being so slow on updating, but I had a major writer's block. The second is, that I'm not sure I should continue this story now that Clockwork Prince has been out a whole month, and most have probably already read it, and I never really got into th plot of the story. So I think I'm going to stop it, though anyone who wants to write more are welcome :)**

**I'm so sorry! I'l****l try writing another one, post after Clockwork Prince, but I don't know when I will have time nor what the title will be yet. Again, I'm sorry for those who wanted to read it...**

**~RememberTheDays**


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